Charade in the Rain
by What-if-it-was
Summary: When Sakura is assigned to lead a mission to Ame, she's just glad to get out of the village. But nothing is as it seems with Ame's ruler Konan or even within Sakura's own team. Suddenly keeping up the charade becomes a matter of life or death. Post War


Sakura didn't feel that it was fair for people to tell her that she had surpassed her master. Or at least, to not give Tsunade credit for what Sakura had become. The teacher earns their due and all that. But it seemed the citizens of Konohagakure were determined that Tsunade fade into obscurity along with the old council members and the other sacrifices made in the Fourth Great Shinobi War.

The villages had ended the wartime pact a scant two weeks ago and already Suna and Kiri were at each other's throats. The newly instated Rokudaime of Konoha was struggling to hold Fire's borders against Danzo's foreign agents while attempting to root out the remnants of the dead man's organization still within Konoha. Madara's plot to become the ultimate jinjuriki may have failed, but the war was anything but over.

So Sakura found herself as busy as ever. She and Shizune were tag-teaming Tsunade's old position as head of the medic division and the hospital until things died down. But everyday Sakura found it increasingly more difficult to pull her weight in their arrangement. She would never be cut out for desk work and desperately wanted back in the field where she could do some real good instead of signing forms all day.

The sound of the door slamming into the wall jerked Sakura out of her moping and she looked up to see Shizune rush in, closely followed an eerily familiar green cloak.

The dying light filtering in from the small window across from her desk momentarily blinded her and for a moment Sakura forgot that Tsunade had died. Her mind set aside those final moments and soft words and she forgot that her master had fallen into a coma and that she, Sakura, had been the one to pull the plug. To kill the last of the Sannin. For one glorious moment Princess Tsunade walked the halls of Konoha's hospital, her crowning achievement to summon her second apprentice to discus foreign policy or an upcoming surgery.

But Tsunade didn't have blue eyes or scraggly whisker marks across her cheeks. Sakura wrapped one arm around her blonde friend's head and wrestled her master's tattered lucky cloak off his back.

"Where did you find it?" Sakura demanded. There had been an inventory of Tsunade's assets just a few days ago and the cloak had been ostentatiously absent. Sakura had assumed that it was with the 'missing' obi Shizune has slipped very discretely into her handbag after the funeral.

"One of the interns stumbled upon a hidden stash of sake," Shizune explained.

"Another one?" Sakura raised an eyebrow. " That brings the total up to what? Five?"

"Six." Shizune shook her head ruefully. "I'm counting that 'mislabeled' storage room." Sakura's fellow medic made little air quotes around 'mislabeled.'

"And she didn't only have sake in this one," Naruto announced. He had been loitering about the main building the last few weeks making a nuisance of himself, but no one had the heart to send him away.

But currently his arms were overflowing with a variety of books and scrolls. Sakura recognized some of them as rare medicinal texts.

"Shizune says some of these are worth a fortune-"

" Yes, while Tsunade's odd storage choices are no doubt fascinating," Shizune interrupted. "The Hokage sent me to get you, Sakura. Naruto, could you drop those off in my office?" The genin saluted and walked out of the room.

Sakura's eyes lit up. "Then…"

"Yeah," Shizune gave a slight smile. "They've finally captured someone ranked high enough in the resistance. And if they get the name of the leader of the last Root cell…"

"Then the Hokage might finally have time to discuss my joining a team," Sakura finished. "I sent in the notice over a week ago, but this mess with Root has slowed everything in this village."

"I heard he's at the interrogation block. I have to head over there anyways, come with me?"

"Lets go."

* * *

xXxXx

When they arrived at the block, Shikaku, Kakashi, Inoichi, and Ibiki were already outside the holding room. Sakura watched as Shizune signed in as the medic present. Naruto's father had served a fairly short term as Hokage, but he had passed the most humanitarian reforms of any Hokage. One such reform was the one which brought both Shizune and Sakura to the interrogation block on a regular basis. Medics were required to oversee the interrogation in order to make sure that the methods used were humane; in theory anyways.

Finally Ibiki ended the heated discussion he had been having with Kakashi and Inoichi and entered the holding room to come face to face with one of the few remaining members of Danzo's resistance. If the man cracked, they would have the names of the remaining Root members and Konoha would finally be safe from internal attack. Through the one way mirror Ibiki signaled Kakashi who murmured something unintelligible and vanished in a puff of smoke off to who knows where.

The interrogation was short and brutal. Ibiki and Inoichi took turns either picking the man's brain or in Inoichi's case, using his clan's jutsu to try and capture the traitor's mind. Sakura was used to the harsh tactics used for inquisition, but she still remembered the first time she had witnessed the two men at work. She had been appalled at how cruelly the captive had been handled. But any pity she held for that particular missing-nin had disappeared when she had learned he had killed his jounin sensei.

She held no pity for this particular prisoner either. He had been among those who had refused to step down when the Hokage had announced publically that any Root members who gave themselves up would be allowed to keep their rank and freedom if they aided the investigation. None responded at first, but when Sai revealed himself to be behind the offer, saying that the shinobi would be helped to integrate into normal society, the Root agents turned themselves in in droves. Only a small group continued to resist and hopefully, that would end today.

'Not long now,' Sakura thought. The Root agent was slowly cracking under the assault of Konoha's best interrogators.

"You don't have to stay Sakura," Shizune said quietly. Her eyes remained glued to the scene in the adjacent room.

"Huh?" Sakura's thoughts had been elsewhere.

"You don't have to stay. You aren't needed here and I know you want to go talk to the Hokage." She paused then adopted an apologetic tone. "The Hokage did request you but I just…"

"Didn't want to come here alone, yeah I know," Sakura put a sympathetic arm around Shizune's shoulder. "But you're not alone. Shikaku's here." Said man was sleeping. Or doing something with the semblance of sleep. It was hard to tell because he was muttering into the old couch on the opposite side of the room."Sorta anyways." Sakura rolled her eyes. "I can stay longer if you want. I know you don't like watching."

"No, go ahead, I'll be fine. The Hokage probably has something important lined up for you."

Sakura hesitated for a moment longer. Sometimes she was unsure how to act around the older woman. Shizune was her senior by rank and had taught her much of what she knew of the medicinal arts. But Sakura had surpassed her in many fields and was arguably the better fighter because she could use Tsunade's god-hand, something Shizune had never had the aptitude for. Plus they worked together as the joint chief of staff at the Hospital. Sakura found it easier to just treat her as a friend because despite being colleagues for so long under Tsunade, they also interacted outside of work. Shizune had slipped neatly into Sakura's circle of friends; so easily in fact that Sakura could hardly remember life before Shizune and Tsunade had returned to the village. She gave Shizune an encouraging pat on the back and turned to the door, preparing to go and see what the Rokudaime wanted of her.

Looking down, Sakura realized she was still clinging to Tsunade's cloak like some safety blanket. She held it out to Shizune who just shook her head. Her eyes remained fixed on the goings-on in the holding room. The shinobi was crying. Ibiki held a wicked looking kunai in each fist.

"That doesn't bother you?" Shizune asked. Her face was guarded, but Sakura could hear the disgust in her voice.

"Not anymore," Sakura answered honestly. "I'll stand in for you when I can. I don't mind. Plus you're better than I am with the patients anyways. Either they don't take me serious or they're terrified."

Shizune took the cloak and laid it over Sakura's shoulders.

"Thanks, but I doubt you'll be around much. The borders have been far too active lately and there's been talk of sending a force to Ame to help Konan defend her borders while she rearranges Pein's infrastructure. But you should go now. You don't want to keep the Hokage waiting." Shizune helped Sakura put on the cloak.

"Shizune, thank you."

"Just go. You know the Hokage doesn't tolerate lateness."

"Hypocritical piece of shit," Sakura muttered under her breath.

Shizune chuckled and turned to watch Sakura race out the door, away from the sound of the tortured man. The prisoner's eyes were wild. It was almost over.

* * *

xXxXx

The distance from the interrogation block to the main building where the Hokage worked was a short one and a few rooftops later, Sakura arrived at the front door. Normally she would've just gone in through the window, but Sakura wasn't sure where she stood with the Rokudaime and it wouldn't do to irritate him and then ask him for a favor. He was Hokage now anyways, and any relationship she'd had with him before might've been set aside for a more professional one.

So she used the front door.

The first floor was a mess of cubicles with scores of aides through which all paperwork passed through. Some of the clerks waved at her. Sakura had been a regular fixture during the years Naruto had been away. She greeted them along with the many shinobi who were waiting around to turn in or pick up mission assignments. Sakura knew almost everyone by name, even the ANBU who were walking downstairs from the Hokage's office. Tsunade had often made Sakura take the elites' reports when she was too busy or too hung-over to do it herself. Sakura remembered feeling at home in this building. But with the instatement of the new Hokage, that feeling was replaced with one of uncertainty and unease.

She could feel the stares of her comrades as they recognized the cloak she was wearing. Suddenly Sakura felt guilty. By wearing her master's cloak she was virtually usurping Tsunade's place, the one thing she had vowed not to do. She began to shrug it off.

"Don't, it suits you," came a voice from the top of the staircase. Sakura looked up. Kakashi stood on the top step, nonchalantly leaning against the rail.

"You know why I can't wear this," Sakura said sharply. She attempted to remove the garment from her shoulders, but suddenly Kakashi was behind her, holding it on.

"Why don't we continue this conversation inside Sakura," he said mildly, leading her upstairs.

"I wasn't aware we were having a conversation, _Lord Hokage_," Sakura said sharply with narrow eyes. "And I'll wear what I please, thank you very much."

Hatake Kakashi, Rokudaime Hokage and world renowned shinobi smiled and followed Sakura into his office.

Downstairs, work slowly resumed as the frightened clerks slowly unfroze. One man looked at his boss who had a bemused expression on his face.

"What was that all about?" he inquired.

"Lord Hokage was Haruno Sakura's team captain," his subordinate explained.

"So?"

" Heh, you must be new, he should know better than to piss her off."

"But he's the Copy-nin, Sharringan Kakashi. Why would he be afraid?" the head clerk wondered.

"Because it's _Sakura_," he said as if that were all the explanation required.

* * *

xXxXx

Sakura glared up at the Hokage. He hadn't changed much since the council had voted him in a fortnight ago. He wore the cloak that marked him as the leader of the village, but the hat remained on his desk and the ridiculous mask on his face along with his hiate pulled down across his eye. How he had managed to convince the nit picking council members to approve him when they never even saw his face was anybody's guess.

"What's your problem anyways?" Sakura demanded. "I sent you that notice two weeks ago! Not even Tsunade-" he voice choked a little on the old Hokage's name. "Tsunade was never that behind!"

Sakura knew she was being unreasonable, but she no longer cared. Two weeks _was_ a horribly long time, she reasoned.

"Sakura," he raised his hands as if to ward off her verbal attack. This was probably an intelligent move as the kunoichi had a reputation for resorting to her fists when she became particularly irritated.

"No, I've had enough of your airs. You become Hokage and suddenly you think it's ok to just ignore me? I've sent in three proposals for your approval now! Three!" Sakura paused to breathe. "And whenever I come to see you, you immediately come up with some excuse and disappear! And don't tell me what I can and can't wear. She was my teacher damn it! If you died would you like it if-"

"Sakura…"

"Shut up and let me talk damn it!" Sakura stomped her foot and immediately felt childish. "Sorry," she muttered. Realizing she was still wearing the cloak, she took it off and folded it over her arm.

"No, by all means, go ahead," Kakashi sat down behind his desk. "It's not like I could possibly have anything of importance to tell you." Sakura blushed.

"I already apologized," she grumbled pulling up a chair of her own. "I'll just tell you later."

Kakashi sighed and the mask of calm he wore so easily slipped from his face. For the first time Sakura noticed there was a dark bag under his eye. She felt a twinge of guilt.

"When did things become like this between us?" Kakashi leaned back in his chair. Even if Sakura hadn't noticed the exhaustion in what little of his face he left uncovered, she heard it clearly in the tone of his voice. 'You're better than this,' Sakura admonished herself. 'You should've noticed right away that something was wrong physically with him.'

"Where did I go wrong?" he asked himself.

Sakura had all sorts of answers to that question. 'Maybe when you ignored me in training and focused instead on Sasuke and Naruto? Maybe all those times when you insisted on protecting me, like I couldn't take care of myself? I was a bit useless at first, but even you should be able to see I've improved. Plus you never gave me a chance in the first place. I spent just as long as Naruto training with a Sannin, but my new skills were never as important as what Naruto did.' Sakura wasn't really jealous of her exceptional friend, but sometimes it was hard living in his shadow. But Sakura knew anything she said now would make no difference so she simply replied,

"I don't know."

"Well I need to speak to you about some important issues." Kakashi's emotionless mask was back in place along with his irritatingly cool tone of voice, but this time Sakura wasn't fooled.

"Hold still," she instructed, walking around his desk and pushing his shoulder back against his chair. The jerking motion startled a cough out of the Rokudaime's throat. Blood speckled the back of the hand he used to cover it.

"It's nothing Sakura, sit back down, we need to discuss how we're going to handle-"

"Sit." Sakura's glowing hand hovered over his chest, all earlier anger and frustration lost in her medic's persona. She peeled up his shirt and sent carefully controlled bursts of chakra through his skin to access the health of his innards. Her inspection tickled her patient and he squirmed in his seat as his muscles twitched. Sakura stopped. "I'm sorry, I'm usually not this rough. But you have other problems. You have an ulcer and from the feel of it, it has progressed into a later stage."

"Later stage of what?" The Hokage pulled his shirt back down across his muscled stomach.

"Of burning a hole in your stomach lining," Sakura snapped and pulled the shirt back up. "Hold still Sensei! I need to take care of this before it worsens."

Kakashi relented and leant back in his chair, allowing the medic-nin to lay her hands on his bare chest and knit the tissues of his stomach back together. Slowly his eyes slipped closed and by the time Sakura was done he was softly snoring. The man was exhausted. She looked around his office and realized what had changed.

He didn't have any assistants. Yes, there were a clerks downstairs, but he was clearly trying to go through all the paperwork which made it upstairs alone. Sakura began to sort through the piles pulling out some of the more important files. Under Tsunade, Sakura learned that only one in ten items which reached the Hokage's office actually needed the village leader's attention. The rest could be foisted off to assistants and apprentices such as Shizune and herself.

Sakura fetched a few clerks from downstairs and together they began shifting through those files destined for Kakashi's attention when she saw the file she had turned in announcing her resignation as active head of the hospital and requesting an assignment with a team in the field. It was wedged between a massive sewage account and an agriculture report. He hadn't gotten to it yet. Sakura let out an exasperated groan. Well obviously she wasn't here to discuss her joining a team.

Here Sakura had been running around, frantically trying to prepare Shizune to lead independently and Kakashi had been working himself to death in some masochistic attempt to prove he could do everything himself.

Shizune walked in clutching a scroll.

"Why is the Hokage sleeping?" Shizune asked. "I thought he was going to finally assign you to a team."

"He hasn't even read the notice yet because he's been trying to do everything by himself," Sakura scowled at the sleeping man. "He had a malignant ulcer." Shizune winced.

"Well I'm going to have to wake him up." the other woman held up the scroll she carried. "We have the name of the last man. Or rather, woman. Did you know that the jounin Ibiki put in charge of the investigation wasn't investigating any of the female suspects? We actually had her in custody, but he let her go because she batted her eyelashes at him and promised him a night on the town." The two girls rolled their eyes and shared an equally exasperated look.

"Incompetent."

"Aren't shinobi supposed to take classes to deal with that sort of stuff?" Sakura wondered. "I know I did." She shook Kakashi's shoulder. "Wake up, Shizune's here with the list of Danzo's remaining operatives."

That woke him up. Kakashi jerked upright and smacked his head on Sakura's chin. She stumbled backwards swearing and clutching her jaw.

"Watch it," she grumbled.

"Sorry," Kakashi rubbed his forehead sheepishly. "Shizune, you said something about Danzo? And who are these people?" He motioned at the clerks who were sorting through the mess of papers around his desk.

"These men are here to help you," Sakura said. "Doctor's orders."

"And Ibiki has sent out orders to round up the rest of the revels," Shizune pulled another chair up to Kakashi's desk and plopped the scroll she held down on his desk. "But Sakura and I need to talk to you about the future of the medic-core."

Sakura slapped the resignation notice down on Kakashi's desk and slid it towards him.

"I want back on a team."

"And the hospital?" his voice was neutral and his face revealed nothing of his opinion of the request.

"I've got it under control," Shizune pledged. "With the capture of the last of Root and things escalating on the borders we'll need more medics in the field anyways. By the time they're carted back to Konoha, even the simplest injury has become a critical case."

"Wounds fester, infections abound, a simple concussion lapses into a coma because the nin's teammates didn't keep him or her awake," Sakura chimed in, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Once there was this shinobi who got this infection which resulted in this orange fungus to grow on the extremities and we nearly had to amputate-"

"I get the picture." Kakashi looked a little green. "And your points are valid. But I'm not sure where I'd place you. Sai's working on rehabilitating what's left of Root and Naruto…"

"Is being absolutely useless," Sakura finished for him.

"You shouldn't be that harsh on him," Shizune admonished. "Jiraya was like a father to him. And then he had to kill his best friend…" Shizune stopped when she saw the faraway look on Sakura's face.

The green-eyed girl didn't feel like pointing out that she too had lost her mentor and had helped kill Sasuke.

"You may have heard that we intend to send a force to stabilize things in Ame tomorrow." Kakashi had regained his composure.

"Tomorrow?" Sakura hadn't realized that the situation was that urgent.

"Events have taken a turn for the worse in Ame. Konan has requested immediate support and I'm going to send it because we can't afford to let her position fall." Kakashi sighed Sakura's resignation form and pulled out a blank mission paper. "Suna's tied up with Kiri so that leaves Ame as our only ally. We need to show we're serious about this friendship. That means sending some of our best to help out."

"And you want me to go, Sensei?" Sakura tried and failed to keep the excitement out of her voice. This was exactly what she wanted.

"I want you to lead an eight man cell on an espionage mission. That number includes yourself of course. The mission will last as long as it takes to restore stability to the region. "

"Lead?" Sakura's voice came out as a squeak.

"This is perfect Sakura, you were planning to go anyways right?" Shizune said. "To train with the new leader Konan?"

"Oh?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Sakura glared at Shizune.

"We are allies. It's perfectly within the law to go and learn from an ally," Sakura said defensively. "She said she's teach me if I could ever find the time when she visited Konoha a few weeks ago."

"Yes, but you can't share any sensitive information," Kakashi reminded her.

"I know that," Sakura said sharply. "But we're getting off topic. Why the hell do you want me to lead a mission which you have just admitted is vital for continuing the alliance between our villages? I'm only a chunin and I've never lead a mission before. Won't she just take that as an insult?"

"You tell me." Kakashi refused to concede. "It was you she told about the rebellions in Ame in the first place. She trusts you. Enough to let you ferry classified intelligence from one village leader to another. Enough to let you examine her. Kami knows she doesn't trust me."

Sakura knew why Konan trusted her and it was only partly because of the reasons Kakashi had listed. But it wasn't the sort of thing she could tell anyone because of the confidentiality oaths she had taken. The leader of the Hidden Rain Village didn't want anyone to know that the implantation of Nagato's genes had worked and she was now pregnant with his child.

"You said you would send the best shinobi, but do you really think a bunch of jounin would listen to me?" Sakura tried a different approach. She did want to visit Konan, but she had no experience in leading missions and she didn't think that her first one should be something so vital.

"Naruto's still a genin and people respect him," Kakashi pointed out.

"Yeah, well Naruto…" Sakura didn't need to elaborate.

"Sakura, this is no longer a request, you will be leading this mission," Kakashi said firmly. Sakura frowned and began to speak, but the Hokage cut her off.

"You have to learn how to lead sometime and now's as good a time as any," he reasoned. "Think of it as an entrance exam. If you perform well I'll nominate you for jounin rank."

Sakura hesitated. "Do I have any say in who comes?"

"Yes. Draw up a roster and I'll look over it."

"Uh…" Sakura blinked. A few minutes ago she had just wanted to get out of her stuffy office. She glanced out the window, stalling. The sun had fallen behind mountains and the village was alight with activity. "I'll have the list for you by nine. I need to go pick up some medicines from the hospital if we're going to be gone for an indeterminate amount of time."

Sakura bowed and then leapt out the window into the night.

* * *

xXxXx

Kakashi opened the top drawer of a chest behind his desk and pulled out a picture frame. It was the picture that they had taken not long after Team 7 had officially become genin. They all looked so young. Sasuke and Naruto glared at each other over Sakura's head, their rivalry immortalized in that one moment. Kakashi recalled being just as surprised as his students when he passed them. He had never wanted to teach a bunch of brats shinobi basics. 'And somehow I ended up with the last Uchiha, the kyubi, and… Sakura.'

He had thought her hopeless. Sure she was sharp and had a knack for chakra manipulation, but any talent she had was wasted chasing after her dark haired teammate. He had seen far too many girls like her die horrible deaths on some battle field and he remembered resigning himself to the fact that she would likely go that way as well.

Now he just felt guilty that he gave up on her so quickly. He didn't deserve to be called Sensei by her. Not when he hadn't taught her anything. Thank Kami that Tsunade had found her otherwise she may have ended up as Kakashi had predicted. And now she had finally come into her power. But she hadn't been the same since Sasuke's and Tsunade's deaths. Her spark was gone. Kakashi wished he could do something to help, but he was sure he was the last person Sakura would trust enough to heal her.

However… maybe…

Struck by an idea, the Hokage pulled out a piece of parchment and scratched out a quick note to Tenzo.

* * *

xXxXx

"You're doing what?" Ino sputtered, spraying food across the table.

"Hey watch it Pig," Sakura wiped crumbs off her shirt. "Or else I'll start thinking you're trying to live up to your namesake."

"Well you don't even have to try, Forehead," Ino waved her chopsticks at her friend. "But really, you leading a mission? Is the Hokage insane?"

"Tell me about it," Sakura moaned. "What if I accidentally start a war or something?"

"That takes brains," the other girl pointed out peevishly. "So I doubt it will cause an issue."

Sakura ignored her friend's jokes and closed her eyes, soaking in the atmosphere of the pub they were currently eating at. It was packed and the heat resulting from the having so many bodies in such close quarters was making her sweat. But she didn't mind. Here among so many civilians it was easy to relax. She and Ino were just a couple of teenage girls, not two deadly weapons of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

"I get to choose some of the people who are going with me," Sakura said absentmindedly. "Do you want to come?"

"Not really," Ino responded honestly. "I'm busy."

When Ino was busy it usually meant she had found yet another guy who was crazy enough to go out with her.

"Who is it this time?" Sakura inquired mischievously. "I thought you had given up on guys after you caught that last one cheating on you. What was his name? Shin…Shan…Shinji?"

"His name was Kwan," Ino snapped. "And he was an uneducated fool who couldn't tell his foot from his right buttock. He's nothing like Lin."

"Lin? As in Lin whose father owns the only other flower shop in Konoha?" Sakura laughed. "You certainly don't choose the easy ones."

"It's an infiltration mission," Ino groaned. "My father said that if I liked spending so much time chasing after guys I could at least use it to help out the family. But I kind of like him. Even if I'm just trying to steal his family's secret technique to grow purple roses."

"That's rough." Sakura didn't enjoy talking relationships as much as Ino did, but she put up with it for her friend.

"Never mind me," Ino's gaze suddenly turned calculating. Sakura, seeing the direction her friend was headed in, groaned. "When are you going to get a man?"

This was exactly why Sakura hated talking about boyfriends and dating. Because it inevitably lead to Ino grilling Sakura on her lack of romantic interaction with the opposite sex.

"You know I'm not interested in anyone Ino," Sakura replied patiently knowing nothing she said would keep her persistent and slightly intoxicated companion from dissecting her love life.

"You know what your problem is?" Ino was wave a stick of dango at Sakura now, completely ignoring what the pink-haired girl had just said.

"No Ino, what is my problem?" Sakura asked monotonously. Even though shinobi were allowed to drink regardless of their ages, Sakura tried to keep her consumption to a minimum. She hated losing control of her emotions.

"Your problem is that you never got over Sasuke," Ino said brusquely, taking a vicious bite out of the soy-covered mochi.

The statement cut a little too close to the truth for comfort and Sakura glared at Ino.

"Sasuke is dead," Sakura pointed out, ignoring the pain the blunt statement brought her. "Why would he be holding me back in anyway? I just am not interested in anyone right now. Really Ino."

"Look, I liked him too, but he's gone now. You need to get on with your life." Alcohol had made Ino's tongue a little too loose for Sakura's taste.

"I'm going," Sakura stood up abruptly, face red. "I need to find some people for the mission."

"Hey wait, Forehead, I didn't mean it like that," Ino called as Sakura walked out of the pub. "Come on, don't be mad. Wait! Sakura!" Sakura ignored her. She had a mission to prepare for and she didn't need to sit around and listen to someone point out all her shortcomings.

* * *

xXxXx

The next morning came far too quickly, but Sakura somehow managed to drag herself out of her comfortable bed in the apartment she had been renting ever since her parents had died. She had packed the night before.

When she arrived at the gate that marked the border of the village only Naruto had arrived. He was slumped against the guardhouse, eyes closed. Sakura gently nudged one of his legs with her toe.

"Wake up, the rest of the team should be here soon."

Naruto groaned, but he opened his eyes. He was healthy physically, but mentally…

Their gazes met, his blue, hers green, and an understanding passed between them. Sakura sat down beside him and placed a friendly arm around his shoulder.

"Should be nice to get out of the village for awhile, don't you think?" she asked noncommittally. Naruto grunted in agreement.

Then he closed his eyes and leant his head on her shoulder. For a moment Sakura froze, but then she relaxed against him. They had worked out a sort of understanding after Sasuke's death. Their relationship was purely one of siblings. She hoped.

Hinata and Neji were the first to arrive. As Sakura had hoped, Naruto perked up a bit when saw Hinata. It seemed she need not be worried about her relationship with Naruto ever growing beyond friendship.

"Who else are we waiting for?" Neji inquired. Sakura had chosen the cousins for their superb skills as spies, an ability which she predicted would come in handy on their mission.

"Kakashi said he'd send an ANBU team with us," Sakura replied neutrally. She wasn't looking forward to meeting the ANBU. It would be awkward to introduce herself as the team leader despite only being a chunin. Having Neji on the team was complicated enough.

"Why's Naruto coming?" Neji asked. "I thought this was supposed to be a team comprised of those who excel in stealth."

"He hasn't left the village in almost two weeks. The Hokage practically ordered me to take him." Sakura sighed.

"I wonder if-"

But Sakura never found out what Neji was wondering because at that moment their attention was seized by the sudden appearance of a four man cell in full ANBU regalia. Three men and a woman. Their leader wore a wolf-like mask over his fly-away black hair. He glanced around until his gaze fell on Neji.

"Who's the leader of this mission?" he asked sharply. "You?"

"Actually that would be me. I'm Haruno Sakura."

"Wolf," the man responded. "And these are my colleagues Asp, Shrew, and Egret."

Sakura held out a hand. He shook it like she was diseased. Slightly insulted, Sakura dropped the hand. But then again, ANBU were the best of the best. No doubt the man was annoyed he had to take her orders. She squared her shoulders. "I assume you know what the assignment is?" Nods of agreement. "Good. I've already signed us out at the guardhouse."

Silence. Sakura looked around, subconsciously fiddling with a strand of hair. She could feel the gazes of all seven of the shinobi burning into her.

"We should probably leave now," Wolf reminded Sakura.

"Oh, yeah," Sakura shook her head, like a dog trying to get water out of its fur. "Thanks."

"No problem," Wolf said amiably. Sakura could've sworn she heard a hint of disapproval in his voice. Or maybe that was just her nerves speaking.

Sakura signaled for the group to move out. The sooner they left, the sooner Sakura could begin training with Konan.

* * *

xXxXx

Wolf smiled to himself. It was obvious the girl was in over her head. But that was why he was here. Just in case this mission proved too much for her to handle. Because Sakura had no idea what she was dealing with. The intelligence Konoha had received from Konan was false. The situation was no longer simply a matter of capturing a few rogues. And Wolf intended to discover why the Hidden Rain leader had so severely misled them.

* * *

I have been frustrated with Sakura for a very long time. So because I can not control her actions in the Manga, I have to resort to fan fiction. This is my first attempt at a Naruto fan fic, so please let me know how I'm doing.

If you have read my other fics you are probably extremely mad at me right now. Yes, I know, I'm mad at me right now too. But I hit a horrible writer's block in my other fic Dreams of Ice. So until I can come up with a good conclusion to it... I'm sorry. *cringes* Please don't kill me.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, this fic will be AU from the point Kakashi was appointed the Rokudaime. And it will explore the what if Tsunade never woke line. This story will be mainly Sakura centric, but I hope to show her transformation from, well, Sakura into a stronger less annoying character. There will be a pairing, but I'm not saying what it is just because it would ruin the plot. There will be no Yaoi or Yuri. Sorry. I don't have anything against it, but I'm not that great at writing it. And for you OC haters, don't worry, the ANBU aren't really OCs. Once again, saying anything more will ruin the plot so please just trust me.

I'm sorry for any grammer or spelling mistakes. It's tough when you write six thousand words at midnight and then turn it over to your (wonderful) beta (cheapplastictrophy) to review at one in the morning. .

I will try to respond to reviews if you leave a question for me.

Thanks for reading.

What_if


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